Device for keeping a bag mouth open and holding the bag against a vertical surface or a pole

ABSTRACT

A device holds the mouth of a bag open and may hold the bag against a vertical surface or to a pole. The device comprises an elongate belt which is formed into an annular member by use of sleeves which are attached to the ends of the belt and enable the belt to overlap onto itself. The diameter of the device or annular member is variable. A bag mouth is pulled up through the center of the annular member and the bag&#39;s mouth circumference is wrapped over the annular member circumference. The annular member diameter is then increased and the bag clings to the member. The annular member with bag fitted thereon can be held to a vertical surface by a spring clip or to a pole by a spring clip which may be adjusted up or down the pole, the pole being partially pushed into the ground or other stable surface.

The present invention relates to a device for retaining a bag mouthopen, and is especially but not exclusively for application with binbags.

When depositing material into a bag, it is inconvenient to continuallyhold the mouth of the bag open. This function may be fulfilled byplacing the bag inside a rigid cylinder such as a bin and folding thebag over the rim, but a bin is neither portable, nor can its mouth sizebe varied to accommodate different sizes of bags.

A plastic belt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,243 for use withpaper bags and which has to have a separate clamping member which mustbe manually displaced to lock the belt in position and can only be usedwith the bag mouth located outwardly thereof and not folded thereoversuch that the belt may fall out of the mouth and is difficult toposition apart from being less easy to use.

An object of the present invention is to provide a means to help readilyand automatically retain open the mouth of bags of various mouthdiameters.

According to the present invention, there is provided a device to helpretain the mouth of a bag open comprising an elongate body havingsufficient flexibility to bend over on itself to form an annular memberwith both ends of the body overlapping each other, and sufficientstiffness to be self-supporting in the condition: means holding at leastone of said ends adjustably to the body whereby the diameter of theannulus can be varied by moving the one end along the body relative tothe other end.

Also according to the present invention, there is provided a method ofhelping to retain the mouth of a bag open comprising using a devicecomprising an elongate body having sufficient flexibility to bend overon itself to form an annular member with both ends of the bodyoverlapping each other, and sufficient stiffness to be self-supportingin this condition: means holding at least one of said ends adjustably tothe body whereby the diameter of an annulus can be varied by moving theone end along the body relative to the other end; the mouth of the bagbeing circumferentially held open by said annular member.

Preferably, said holding means is a sleeve through which the end slidesand is held adjacent the body, and advantageously each of the two endsis held adjustably to the body by separate sleeves, the diameter of theannulus being varied by sliding one end and its associated sleeve alongthe body relative to the other end and sleeve.

The annular member is preferably used with a plastic bin bag or bag orother material, which is ideally suited for collecting litter with aspike for spearing paper. Preferably, a spike discharge member isprovided having a notch located over the mouth of the bag for displacingpaper from the spike into the bag. Advantageously a handle is providedsecured to the annular member to provide a more secure grip, and alsowhen used with the said notched discharge member, to provide an anchorbase to which said notched member is secured.

According to another aspect of the invention there is a clip which willhold the elongate body whilst fitted to the bag, to a vertical surfacei.e. a wall. This clip may be adjustable on the wall in order to varythe height of the annular member from the ground.

According to another aspect of the present invention a spiked pole whichmay be pushed into the ground to act as a support pole for the annularmember with a spring clip. The spring clip may be adjusted withreference to its position on the pole by means of the application ofhand pressure to the clips surfaces and thereby adjusting the height ofthe annular member from the ground.

The device may be used to locate a bin bag with a bin by resting on therim thereof.

The length of band or belt should be such that there is sufficientoverlap in the circumference of the closed loop in its likely positionof use i.e. relative to the circumference of bag with which it is to beused, so that the loop has a tendency to lock or stick sufficiently toprevent contraction of the loop under the compressive reactive action ofthe material of the bag against which the loop has been expanded. The"self-locking" phenomena or jamming or sticking may be considered as aresult of the created curvature of the belt which, apart from possiblycausing increased friction of the belt portions against each other,importantly causes an inclination of the portion of the belt in thepassage or passages of the sleeve or sleeves and the outwardly exertedpressure by the belt portions therein against the walls of the sleevepassages. It is believed the belt tends to jam in position of usebecause of its inclination in the passage of the sleeve(s) or otherholding means relative to the central axis thereof because of thepressure exerted by the free end of the belt in its sleeve passage whichtilts the sleeve and acts to jam the belt. Thus the dimensioning of thewidth and thickness of the belt, the length of the belt and the widthand thickness of the passage(s) through the sleeve(s) is of importance.Furthermore, the belt portions should not be separated too much in thesleeves but rather the surfaces outside should abut.

The locking passages of the sleeves have shoulder or other closure meansat one end to prevent incorrect insertion in the wrong direction whilstotherwise are of the same dimension as the sliding passage. It will beappreciated that whilst free sliding of the belt when in flat straightcondition is possible, very little clearance should exist so that withsufficient overlapping of the belt in the annulus, sufficient curvatureoccurs as to increase the frictional effect of the band portions incontact with each other and with the sliding passage(s) surfaces and/orof the inclination of the belt in the sliding passages of the sleevesand/or tilting of the sleeves by the free ends of the belt as a resultof their location so as to produce the necessary self-locking ortemporary jamming in the operative position and diameter. Preferably thematerial of the belt is polypropylene whilst that of the sleeves isplastics material such as nylon. The belt material is to be sufficientlyresilient as well as flexible whilst being sufficiently stiff as to beself-supporting when held at one edge and when the bag is being filled.

The exterior surfaces of the sleeves should be smooth and all cornersrounded so as to be streamlined and thus not snag or tear the bagmaterial i.e. to permit sliding against the bag in the operativeposition. The pressure of the belt against the walls of the slidingpassages as a result of the resilient effect of the belt material is ofsignificant effect also.

The walls of the sleeves against which the belt portions abut in thelocking position of use are sufficiently stiff as not to be deformed andthus act to restrain sliding movement of the belt in the lockingcondition. Each sleeve is preferably provided with a central dividingwall defining a sliding through-passage for the belt and a locatingrecess for the belt end with belt end engaging means preferablyintegrally formed of plastics material.

The invention will be described further by way of example, withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of part of a loop device showing a free endof a belt and sleeve of FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a device for holding the mouth of a bag openand forming an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 2 in position of useretaining open the mouth of the bag;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a plastics cylinder having alongitudinal slot and which acts as a handle and base for the loopdevice;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a clip for additionally securing the bagto the loop;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a discharge member comprising a twistedstrip with a notch and which facilities the removal of matter from aseparate, hand-held spike (not shown);

FIGS. 7A and 7B is a perspective view of a further clip which may helpto retain the elongate annular member in a tensioned diameter whilst thebag is fitted;

FIGS. 8A and 8B is a perspective view of a wall clip and pole clip asalternative support devices for the loop device and bag FIG. 8C is aschematic elevation view of the pole clip as used on a pole;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of an elongate annular memberwhen it is fitted to the wall clip of FIG. 8;

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate the device and method for securing thesleeves to the ends of the elongate annular member band;

FIGS. 11a, 11b and 11c show various operational stages in the method ofuse;

FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of an operational technique;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a preferred form of sleeve;

FIG. 14 is a cross section on the line X--X of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is an inverted plan of the sleeve of FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of an end of the belt for use with the sleeve inFIGS. 13-15;

FIG. 17 is an end elevation from the direction of arrow A of FIGS. 13and 14; and

FIG. 18 is an elevation from the direction of arrow B.

In accordance with the invention a loop device 10 (FIG. 2) for holdingopen the mouth of a bag comprises an elongate belt 11 wound to form anannulus (annular member or body) as shown, and sleeves 12 and 13retaining the belt 11 in this annular position and configuration.

The annulus is formed, for example, by firstly sliding first sleeve 12onto the belt 11 via first end 14 and then mounting the second sleeve 13on the first end 14 of the belt 11. The second end 15 of the belt 11 isthen threaded firstly through the sleeve 13 and thence into sleeve 12 tobe secured therein causing the belt 11 to form the annulus (annularbody) as shown in FIG. 2, the first sleeve 12 and second sleeve 13 arerespectively engaged by the second end 15 and first end 14.

The diameter of the annulus may be varied, and may be increased, forexample, by sliding end 14 and sleeve 13 anti-clockwise along the belt11 with respect to end 15 and sleeve 12. In a similar fashion, theannulus may be decreased by sliding the end 15 and sleeve 12 in theopposite direction to that above. The belt 11 is approximately 2 meterslong by 25 mm by 3-5 mm thick and is constructed from plastic such aspolypropylene or spring steel and any material which will serve thepurpose.

As shown schematically in FIG. 3, the mouth of the plastics material binbag or any type of bag 18 is pulled up through the loop device 10 andleft to overhang 19 by about 3 to 4 inches. In use, the mouth of the bagis now stretched by increasing the diameter of the loop device 10 byhand pressure in the directions 28 (FIG. 2) and the bag mouth will nowremain open for depositing materials therein.

To give a more comfortable hand grip a rubber or plastic handle 16 (FIG.4) is provided, which is cylindrical and has a curved slot 17 runningalong its length into which a portion of the loop device 10 tightlyfits. As shown in FIG. 3, the mouth of a bag 18 is pulled through theloop device and stretched over the device 10 and the device is thenincreased in diameter by pressure in directions 28 (FIG. 2). The device10 will then be self-retaining in this larger diameter. For bags whichdo not stretch easily a clip or clips 20 (FIG. 5) are used to fix thebag 18 to the loop device 10.

For most bags the increased diameter will cause the bag to cling to theloop device 10 and the device will be self-retaining in its largestdiameter, but the retention of the larger stretched diameter i.e. whenthe bag is completely fitted may be facilitated by use of the springclip 29 (FIG. 7). The mouth of the bag 18 remains open for depositingmaterials therein, and can be gripped by the handle 16 and transportedas required.

The open bin bag 18 (FIG. 3) is ideally adapted for use with a spike(not shown) for spearing paper. An arm 21 (FIG. 6) forming a dischargemember is provided with a notch 22 so that paper on a spike can bereleased by pulling the spike along the notch 22.

The arm 21 is formed from a strip, the base 23 of which lies flush withone end of the handle 24 and is fixed thereto by a screw 25 throughholes 26 and 27. From the flush base 23, the arm twists so as to extendradially inwards over the open bag mouth and presents the notch 22 foruse with the spike.

The loop device 10 may be held against a vertical surface before orafter the bag is fitted, by means of an adjustable clip 30. (FIG. 8).The loop device 10 sits in this clip as illustrated in FIG. 9. Theheight of the loop device 10 from the floor or ground may be adjusted bythe screw and slot mechanism 31. The loop device 10 may be held againsta vertical pole 32 (FIG. 8) which has a pointed lower end and ispartially pushed into the ground. The method of holding the annular bodyon the pole is by a spring clip 33 (FIG. 8) and is the same method asthat of it being held in the clip 30 as shown in FIG. 9. The clip may beadjusted with reference to its position on the pole and therebyadjusting the height of the loop device 10 from the ground or floor, byhand pressure being applied to the surfaces of the clip.

FIG. 10 illustrates methods by which the sleeves 12 and 13 may be fittedto the ends of the elongate belt 11. The elongate belt 11 has a hole 34and 35 at either end 14 and 15. A projection or stud 36 is provided inthe inside of each sleeve 12 or 13 and are designed to engage in theholes 34, 35 and when doing so preventing the sleeve from separatingfrom the elongate belt 11. The stud can either be engaged by using asleeve as 37 where there is a horizontal split, and both the top andbottom come together to envelope the elongate belt 11 or by using asleeve as 38 (only bottom section of the sleeve is shown and issectioned in the horizontal plane) where the elongate belt is pushedhorizontally through the sleeve and the stud 36 is on a flexible strip39 which will move up and down to let the belt engage into the spud, thestud engaging when pressure is applied to force the belt through thesleeve. The vertical movement of the flexible strip on which the spud ismounted is shown by the arrow 40. Sleeve type 38 may be integrallyformed with the sliding-through passage for the belt (not shown). Bothsleeve type 37 and 38 are self-locking and permanent. An `eye` may bemoulded on the sleeve of either type so as to enable the spring 20 or 29to be attached to the loop device 10 by means of a cord. The `eye` isnot shown.

Through passages are provided in each sleeve (12, 13) (37, 38) for thethrough sliding of portions of the belt 11 intermediate the ends (14,15). Each sleeve also has a recess or passage for receiving an end 14,15 of the belt 11 which in FIG. 2 the passages are on the outer side ofthe annulus for end 14 and on the inner side for end 15. The sleeves areshaped and dimensioned so as to permit the sliding relative to the bagmaterial without jamming or damaging such.

The method of combining a loop device with the mouth of a plasticsmaterial bag is amplified in FIGS. 11a-11c and FIG. 12 and the stagesmight be listed as follows:

1. Open out bag and expand loop device or ring 10 until diameter isslightly smaller than bag mouth diameter.

2. Noting the sleeve positions on ring, bring bag up through, and foldover ring, giving a minimum overlap of 5"-6".

3. Noting sleeve positions, put fingers of both hands up below ring 10,as FIGS. 11a-11c show, and pull ring to expand. (It is important thatpull is in the correct direction--relative to sleeve positions).

4. Turn ring with bag fitted 90 degrees and pull to expand ring again.Ring will now firmly grip the bag.

Whilst the device may be used with advantage simply inside the mouth ofa bag with the periphery folded inwards the preferred arrangement of thebag extending through the annulus formed by the device and the peripheryof the mouth being folded outwardly over and downardly providesexceptional advantages as regards location and operation and ease ofuse. The slight deformation or stretching of the folded over portionwhen the device is expanded thereagainst enhances the gripping actionand provides exceptional advantages.

A further preferred embodiment of loop device of the invention isillustrated in FIGS. 13 to 18 and is similar to that of FIG. 2 and isfor use with a polythene bin bag having a diameter of approximately 65.5cm, the belt is flat being 182 cm long, 2.6 cm wide (actually 1 inchwide), is 0.5 cm (3/6") thick and of generally rectangular crosssection. The sleeves are dimensioned approximately 3.2 cm (11/4") by 3.2cm (11/2") by 1.75 cm (3/4") deep. The sleeves are identical butoppositely and reversely disposed in use and have sliding or throughpassages in which the belt slides are 3.1 cm (11/4") long, 2.7 cm(11/16") wide and 0.6 cm (1/4") deep. In the sleeves, the separatingwall between the belt portions is 2.5 mm (1/16"). In use with the loopdevice holding the bag mouth open, the device has an approximate 137.1cm. (4'6") circumference with adjacent edges of the sleeves being spacedat 15.85 cm (61/4") measured circumferentially over the overlappedportion of the belt. The opposite edges are spaced at 83.8 cm (2'9")circumferentially over the non-overlapping belt portion. The loop devicedoes not appear to start self-locking until the adjacent sleeve edgesare approximately 25.4 cm (10") apart circumferentially over theoverlapping part of the annulus.

In FIGS. 13 to 18 a preferred embodiment of sleeve is illustratedcomprising two identical moulded plastics members 40 (only one shown)each having a through passage 41 for sliding of belt 11 which aredimensioned relative to each other so that as the loop diameterdecreases and the inner end 15 of belt 11 pivots and tilts sleeve 40,the upper run of belt 11 becomes inclined relative to the longitudinalaxis of the passage 40 (exaggerated in FIG. 14) so that jamming or"automatic partial locking" occurs especially at edges 42, 43 sufficientto prevent collapsing of the loop by the pressure of the bag actingthereagainst but such that special manipulation readily removes thejamming effect.

A lower passage 45, has a shoulder or reduced cross sectional portion 46at one end which prevents the end of belt 11 passing through and enablesthe projection 47 which is supported by an arm 48 made so as to beresiliently flexible by side slits 49 and an end slot 50 so that whenthere is inserted the end of belt 11 which has a cooperating aperturetherein, such deflects slightly and then springs-back to retain the endin position by virtue of the shaping of of a ramp like portion oftriangular cross-section.

The external edges and corners of the sleeves 40 are rounded or"streamlined" to slide relative to the bag material without damagingsuch or jamming.

Each sleeve 40 has a central dividing wall 44 and lower, locatingpassage 45 which has a reduced cross-sectional area at one end 46 as astop for belt end 15 which is identical to outwardly located belt end 14(see FIG. 2) in that it is in this arrangement provided with arectangular through passage 47 which is engageable with a resilientlymounted ratchet-like, retaining projection 48 in passage 45. Projection48 is formed by a ramp-like portion in the passage 45 with an inclinedsurface 49 and a perpendicular face 50 which locates in passage 47 ofbelt 11. The projection 48 is resiliently displaceable by having twoslots 51 formed either side leading to passage 52 so that the resilienceof the material of sleeve 40 may become effective because of theweakening thereby.

As will be apparent from FIG. 14 the other end 14 of belt 11 has anidentical sleeve 40 located thereon but in inverted and reverseddisposition so that belt 11 is oppositely inclined and jams againstedges opposite to edges 42, 43.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the presentinvention. For example partial self-jamming or locking to resist thecompressive forces of the bag material etc. in use may be achieved bytoothing on the belt and ratchet-like members in the sleeves (or viceversa) or other manually operable securing and release means may beprovided such as to be operable when the bag material is folded over thedevice and through the material and such as not to damage or jam withthe bag material in use e.g. a double acting push button area with beltsecuring and release action operable through the material may be used.

As a minor modification, the belt and sleeves may have a curved orarcuate cross-section so as to provide an outwardly facing channel inwhich a rubber or other elastic band or belt may be located stretched tohold the bag, folded thereover, in position on the annulus or ring.Also, of different inventive concept, is a similar but non-adjustablering of curved cross-section or other shape to hold an elastic ring inposition and substantially of a diameter over which the bag mouth mayjust be folded to be held in position by the elastic ring--suitableclips and supports may be provided as desired.

In FIG. 12, the fingers of the right-hand are placed between the ringand bag and pull on the double side of the ring. It is of considerableimportance for the device according to the present invention to have theability or capability to expand after the bag mouth has been wrappedover it.

I claim:
 1. A device to retain the mouth of a bag open comprising:anelongated belt having sufficient flexibility to bend over on itself toform a ring with radial inner and outer opposite sides and with bothends of the belt overlapping each other, and being of sufficientstiffness to be self-containing or self-supporting in any variation ofring diameter, and two holding means for releasably and engageablyholding an end adjustably to the belt; the holding means are providedeach in the form of a sleeve one at each end of the belt and each issuch that, with the periphery of the mouth of the bag folded over theannular member, the diameter of the ring can be varied after the mouthof the bag is folded thereover by moving at least one end along the beltrelative to the other end to expand the ring to press against the bagsuch that the material thereof stretches and grips the ring, the mouthof the bag being circumferentially held by said ring in a position ofadjustment by securing means of the sleeve; each of said sleeves havinga belt end retaining portion and a through passage with a surfaceportion between said retaining portion and said through passage, one endof said belt connected within said retaining portion, an intermediateportion of said belt is held in said through passage adjacent to one endof said belt, said intermediate portion of said belt being held slidablein said through passage, the relative shaping and dimensioning of thebelt and said through passage being such that said intermediate portionis securable in said through passage when the expanded condition of useof said belt causes a resultant reactive pressure between saidintermediate portion of said belt and said through passage as saidintermediate portion of said belt is tilted within said through passageto frictionally restrict movement of said belt sufficiently to preventreduction in diameter of said belt by said bag.